Observations of Root Hair Patterning in Soils: Insights from Synchrotron-Based X-Ray Computed Microtomography

The study used synchrotron-based X-ray computed microtomography to observe root hair patterning in maize grown in soil microcosms. It found that root hairs emerged randomly in air-filled pores but were inhibited in contact with the soil matrix. As they elongated, root hairs were preferentially located near soil particles and rarely penetrated soil aggregates. This suggests that in maize, root hairs grow mainly in air-filled pores at the root-soil interface, potentially limiting their role in nutrient uptake, plant anchorage, and rhizosheath formation.